One Summer in Paris

Grace strolled through the small rooms, examining the shelves that were at eye level and lower. They were carefully labeled, with each book in alphabetical order.

She tried to picture her flamboyant grandmother spending hours here, and failed. It just didn’t seem like a place Mimi would fall in love with. It made no sense to her. What was she missing?

“Does the name Mimi Laroche mean anything to you, Elodie?”

The woman shook her head. “Should it?”

It had been too much to hope for. “My grandmother was born in Paris. She spent a great deal of time in this bookstore, particularly after the war.”

“In that case she would have met my grandmother, Paulette. She was still coming here and spending half a day with the books until the week before she died. That was five years ago.” Elodie gestured to an old photograph on the wall. “This was taken in 1960.”

Grace studied it and pulled out her phone. “Could I take a photograph of it? I’d like to send it to Mimi.”

“Of course. And if she has any stories to share, I’d love to hear them. Is she still a keen reader?”

That was the strange thing about this. Grace had never seen her grandmother pick up a book. “Her eyesight isn’t as good as it once was.”

“My grandmother had the same problem. Fortunately she didn’t lose her hearing, so she fell in love with audiobooks.” Elodie reached for her bag. “You are sure you don’t mind staying here this morning? I would love to talk a little more, but I’m trying to rent the apartment upstairs and it is proving more challenging than usual. I have a lovely couple who want to take it from the end of August, but I can’t afford to let it stay empty until then. I am going to talk to a few rental agencies. If you have any questions you can always call me.”

“We will be fine.” An idea blossomed in Grace’s head, wild and totally unlike her. Could she really do something so unplanned? So impulsive? “Your apartment—I don’t suppose you’d like to rent it to me, would you?”

Elodie looked surprised. “You’re looking for an apartment?”

She hadn’t been, but now the idea had come alive in her brain, she realized how much she wanted to do it. So far she’d been following a path she’d planned to take with David. She felt his absence everywhere. If she was ever going to move on, she had to find a way to deal with that. She was no longer half of Grace-and-David. She was 100 percent Grace.

Mimi would be proud.

“I’m staying in a hotel right now, and—well, it isn’t quite the way I planned it.” Grace didn’t elaborate. “I’d prefer the freedom of an apartment, and I can’t think of anything more perfect than living above the bookshop.”

Elodie put her bag back down on the desk. “You are able to cancel your hotel?”

She thought about the terms of her reservation. It was possible they’d charge her for tonight, but that would be all. “Yes. When would the apartment be ready?”

“It’s ready now. I was preparing for a short let, so the bed is already made up with clean linen, and there are fresh towels in the bathroom.”

“Perfect. I’ll move in this afternoon.”

Elodie seemed surprised. “You should perhaps see it first? The apartment is probably nothing like your hotel.”

Thank goodness.

Grace thought of the staff, constantly asking when David would be joining her. “It will be exactly what I need.”

She joined Elodie on a quick tour of the apartment. It was charming, with high ceilings and tall windows overlooking the street.

Elodie flung open a window. “Whoever lives here has to care for the plants on the balcony.”

There was a balcony?

Grace followed Elodie into the small kitchen and it turned out that there was indeed a balcony. A jungle of plants crowded around a small table with intricate ironwork. She imagined herself drinking her morning coffee out there, or sipping a cool drink in the evening.

“It’s perfect.” Grace pulled out her phone. “I’m going to contact the hotel now and cancel my reservation. I’ll also ask them to pack up my things.” And it would be the last time the hotel staff folded one of her shirts.

After she’d made the call, they dealt with the finances and Elodie handed over the keys.

Grace felt a little dizzy. A couple of hours ago she’d been contemplating how to spend her time in Paris. Now she had an apartment and was volunteering in a bookshop.

She could come and go as she pleased.